2011 Penny Value Checker: Errors List,”D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

2011 penny value ranges from $0.01 face value to $667. That record price was achieved by a coin graded 68, sold through Heritage Auctions in June 2017. If you’re curious what yours might be worth, upload a photo of your coin below for a quick value range. You can also scroll down to check recent eBay sales and see what buyers are actually paying right now.

 

2011 Penny Value By Variety

Here’s what 2011 pennies are selling for right now across different conditions. The 2011-D pulls the highest premiums among circulation strikes, while the 2011-S DCAM proof sits at about $6.

If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Modern Pennies Worth Money (1959 – Present)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 2011 Penny Worth Money

That Denver MS68 RD at $667 sits at the top. Think about that — a coin pulled from a regular mint bag, never spent, preserved so perfectly it beat out every proof coin made that year. MS68 on the Sheldon Scale means virtually flawless under magnification. Only a handful of 2011 pennies have ever graded that high.

The price gap between MS67 and MS68 is wild. MS67 examples from both mints sell for roughly $39–$55. Jump one grade point to MS68, and you’re looking at $575–$667. That’s the “grade cliff” in action. Tiny differences in preservation, huge differences in price.

The proof side has its own quirks. A standard PR70 DCAM (perfect grade, mirrored fields, frosty devices) sold for $390, actually beating the PR70 DCAM First Strike at $355. Collectors care more about technical perfection than timing labels.

The Lyndall Bass signature version at $58 is the cheapest way into designer-signed coins. Hard to beat that as a starting point for a new collector.

 

History of the 2011 Penny

The Lincoln cent carried the Memorial reverse from 1959 through 2008. Four special Bicentennial designs replaced it in 2009 for Lincoln’s 200th birthday, but those were always temporary. The Mint needed a permanent new reverse starting in 2010.

Enter Lyndall Bass, a fine arts painter from Michigan working through the U.S. Mint’s Artist Infusion Program. She submitted four designs, and her Union Shield concept won — thirteen vertical stripes for the original colonies, topped by a horizontal bar for federal unity. In an NGC interview, Bass mentioned that two of her shield designs made the finals before the shield-only version got the nod. Sculptor Joseph F. Menna (later Chief Engraver in 2019) turned her artwork into a working coin design.

By 2011, the Shield cent’s second year, production had settled into a groove. One cool detail: engineers went back to the original 1909 Lincoln galvano (the master model) to prepare new dies. That gave 2011 coins a slightly crisper portrait than some transitional years.

Here’s the bigger picture. The entire Shield cent era — 2010 through November 2025 — turned out to be the Lincoln penny’s final chapter. On November 12, 2025, the U.S. Mint stopped striking pennies for circulation after costs hit approximately 3.7 cents per coin. Five pennies struck on that last day went to auction. Every dated Shield cent, including your 2011, is now a permanent piece of America’s longest-running coin design.

Also Read: Top 100 Rarest Pennies Worth Money (1787 – Present)

 

Is Your 2011 Penny Rare?

To analyze rarity patterns across different years and mints, our Coin Identifier and Value App provides comprehensive data and trend analysis for serious collectors.

 

Key Features of The 2011 Penny

Knowing what to look for on a 2011 penny helps you spot varieties and errors fast. Here’s a breakdown of every part of the coin.

The Obverse Of The 2011 Penny

Victor David Brenner’s Lincoln portrait faces right — same as every Lincoln cent since 1909. “In God We Trust” curves above his head, “Liberty” sits to his left, and “2011” appears before his chest.

Look below the date for the mint mark. Blank means Philadelphia. “D” means Denver. “S” means San Francisco proof. Flip the coin and check Lincoln’s shoulder truncation — you’ll find Brenner’s initials “VDB” tucked in there, over a century of tradition in two tiny letters.

The Reverse Of The 2011 Penny

Lyndall Bass’s Union Shield dominates the reverse. Thirteen vertical stripes sit under a horizontal band. A scroll reading “One Cent” crosses the shield’s center. “United States of America” runs along the upper rim, with “E Pluribus Unum” below the shield.

Look on either side of the scroll — you’ll spot Bass’s initials “LB” and sculptor Joseph Menna’s “JM.” That makes the 2011 penny one of only a few U.S. coins carrying two sets of artist initials on the same side.

Other Features Of The 2011 Penny

The 2011 penny has a zinc core with 2.5% copper plating — the standard composition for circulation Lincoln cents since 1982. Scratch a modern penny deep enough and you’ll see silver underneath. That’s the zinc showing through. The coin measures 19.05mm across, weighs exactly 2.5 grams, and has a plain (smooth) edge.

There’s no such thing as a 2011 silver penny. If yours looks silver, it’s been plated, chemically altered, or the copper coating wore off. None of those add collector value.

Also Read: 100 Most Valuable Wheat Pennies Worth Money (1909 to 1958)

 

2011 Penny Mintage & Survival Data

Circulation is brutal on pennies. Philadelphia’s survival rate sits at roughly 10.07%, and Denver’s is nearly identical at 9.80%. Nine out of every ten 2011 pennies from those mints are gone — lost, destroyed, or worn past the point of collecting.

San Francisco tells a completely different story with an extraordinary 81.20% survival rate. That gap — roughly 10% versus 80% — exists because proof coins go straight into collectors’ hands and stay there. Circulation coins get spent, dropped between couch cushions, or ground into nothing.

Put it this way: Philadelphia struck nearly 4.9 billion pennies, but only around 493 million survive in any collectible state. Denver’s 2.536 billion fared no better. Meanwhile, San Francisco kept approximately 1.36 million of its 1,673,010 proof specimens safe and sound.

That production-versus-survival gap is exactly why top-grade examples command crazy premiums. Billions were made. The gems that escaped circulation intact? Genuinely scarce.

Also Read: 100 Most Valuable Indian Head Penny Coins Worth Money (1859 – 1909)

The Easy Way to Know Your 2011 Penny Value

Grading 2011 pennies uses the Sheldon Scale — a 70-point system that’s been the industry standard since the late 1940s. Here’s what matters for this coin:

Circulated grades (Poor 1 to About Uncirculated 58): These coins show wear from handling and are generally worth face value. Even well-worn 2011 pennies have no premium.

MS60–MS64: Never circulated, but you’ll see contact marks, bag marks, or reduced luster from the minting and storage process. Values for 2011 pennies in these grades are minimal — typically under $2.

MS65 (Gem Uncirculated): Strong luster, good strike, and minimal distracting marks. A 2011 penny in MS65 RD is worth roughly $5–$10. RD stands for “Red” and means the coin retains its full original copper color — the most desirable color designation for Lincoln cents.

MS67: Near-perfect, with only the most minor imperfections under magnification. Values jump to $39–$55 for 2011 examples.

MS68: Essentially perfect. Only a handful of 2011 pennies have ever reached this grade. The value jumps to $575–$667 — a near-exponential leap from MS67.

For collectors seeking accurate assessments without professional submission costs, the Coin Identifier and Value App provides instant grade estimates and value detection.

 

2011 Penny Value Guides

Three varieties were struck in 2011 across the Mint’s main facilities.

2011 Penny Varieties:

• 2011 No Mint Mark Shield Penny (Philadelphia Mint)
• 2011-D Shield Penny (Denver Mint)
• 2011-S DCAM Shield Penny (San Francisco Mint)

Philadelphia and Denver coins were struck for circulation in massive volumes. San Francisco’s “S” proofs were made exclusively for collectors, sold in annual proof sets originally priced at $31.95, with mirror-like Deep Cameo finishes.

Also Read: Value Of Old Pennies By Year (1959-Present)

 

2011 No Mint Mark Shield Penny Value

 

Over 2.4 billion of these rolled off the presses — 2,402,400,000 to be exact. In circulated condition, you’re looking at face value. One cent. With that kind of volume, most will never be worth more.

But check the top of the grading scale. MS66 RD examples trade in the $10–$17 range. An MS68 RD hit $575 at auction. That price has nothing to do with mintage and everything to do with survival in near-perfect condition. Color matters here too: “RD” (Red) coins kept their original copper surface and command the best premiums. “RB” (Red-Brown) and “BN” (Brown) coins have oxidized and sell for less.

One thing I like about 2011 Philadelphia production: quality control improved noticeably over 2010. The “weak banner” strikes that plagued early Shield cents were mostly eliminated through better die annealing — a heat treatment that extends die life and sharpens the strike. That makes 2011 a solid foundational year for Shield cent quality.

Recent auction records show what these “ordinary” circulation strikes can actually bring.

Collector demand for high-grade Shield cents has stayed consistent over the past decade.

Also Read: Lincoln Wheat Penny Value (1909-1958)

 

2011-D Shield Penny Value

 

Here’s a fact that surprises people: Denver actually outproduced Philadelphia in 2011. The Denver Mint struck 2,536,140,000 coins — over 2.5 billion from one facility in one year. That makes it the highest-mintage 2011 variety. Worn examples? One cent.

MS65 specimens run about $10 or less. Then the grade cliff hits. The finest known Denver 2011 cent, graded MS68 RD by PCGS, sold for $667 in a 2017 auction. That’s the single highest price ever paid for any 2011 penny, any variety.

The “D” mint mark sits directly below the date on the obverse. If you’re cherrypicking for premium coins, look for full “RD” color and sharply defined shield lines on the reverse. Also worth checking: the doubled die variety (details in the errors section below). Heritage Auctions sold a 2011-D graded MS64 with a doubled die obverse for $720 in 2012.

Auction results show the premiums collectors pay for exceptional Denver strikes.

Denver mint coins continue to attract strong bidding activity in the modern Lincoln market.

 

2011-S DCAM Shield Penny Value

 

Don’t compare these to Philadelphia or Denver coins. They’re a completely different animal. DCAM stands for Deep Cameo — mirrored fields with frosty white devices that pop under any light source. That contrast is what makes proof coins so visually striking.

San Francisco produced exactly 1,673,010 of these, each struck twice on specially prepared planchets using polished dies. Lincoln’s portrait achieves maximum textural contrast against the shield’s mirror background — something you’ll never get from a circulation strike.

You could only buy these in the annual proof set, originally priced at $31.95. A perfect PR70 DCAM hit $390 at auction in May 2019. For maximum value, you want both the “RD” color and “DCAM” designation together.

Auction records show which grades are getting the most attention from collectors.

Market activity here tells you whether collector interest is holding steady or shifting.

2011-S DCAM Lyndall Bass Shield Penny Value

What makes this variety special? Lyndall Bass’s Union Shield has appeared on the reverse of more than 80 billion Lincoln cents since 2010. According to NGC’s Signer Spotlight series, that makes her the female artist with the most widely circulated design in American numismatic history.

These coins come in special NGC holders with Bass’s authentic autograph on the label. Despite that distinction, prices stay very accessible. A PR70 specimen currently sells for around $58. We think that’s one of the best entry points into artist-signed modern coinage — especially for beginners building their first collection.

Auction data shows how designer-signed coins are performing with collectors.

Market activity tells you whether this niche is growing or cooling off.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Modern Pennies Worth Money (1959 – Present)

 

Rare 2011 Penny Error List Worth Money

Even with modern quality controls, the 2011 Lincoln Shield cent run produced some serious errors — a few with confirmed five-figure auction histories. Here’s every documented type with real sale prices.

1. Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) Error

A DDO happens when the die itself gets impressed twice at slightly different angles during manufacture. That doubling transfers to every coin struck by that die. On 2011 pennies, grab a loupe and check “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “LIBERTY,” Lincoln’s ear, and his eyelid for a shadow-like second image.

Minor DDO varieties sell for $25–$50 circulated and $100–$300 in Mint State. The big one: Heritage Auctions sold a 2011-D penny graded MS64 with a doubled die obverse for $720 in 2012. That’s one of the highest DDO prices on any modern Lincoln cent. CONECA lists multiple 2011 DDO varieties, with the strongest showing hub doubling across most obverse elements at once.

2. Doubled Die Reverse (DDR) Error

Same concept, flip side. DDR shows doubling on the shield design or surrounding lettering. Check “ONE CENT” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” carefully for doubled letters. The shield’s vertical stripes can also show separation or a ghosted second image on the strongest varieties. Values run similar to DDOs — $25 to several hundred dollars depending on doubling strength.

3. Die Clash Error

When the obverse and reverse dies smack together with no planchet between them, each die picks up a ghost impression of the other side. On 2011 cents, you might see a faint Union Shield outline on Lincoln’s portrait, or traces of Lincoln’s face on the shield. GreatCollections auctioned a 2011-P Lincoln cent graded MS60 with a die clash error for $515 in 2014. A 2011-D MS64 with a die clash brought $1,030 at GreatCollections in a separate sale.

4. Die Crack Varieties

These show up as raised lines across the coin’s surface where metal filled fractures in a worn die during striking. The most collectible ones run through Lincoln’s portrait, creating what collectors call “crying Lincoln” varieties — dramatic cracks that look like facial scars. Expect $15–$75 depending on crack size and location. Some Philadelphia examples show striking crack patterns running through “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

5. Feeder Finger Error

This one’s unique to modern automated minting. Feeder fingers are mechanical arms that position blank planchets in the coining collar. When they don’t retract fast enough, they leave distinctive horizontal scratch patterns — usually on the obverse. A collector paid $980 for a 2011-D Lincoln penny with a feeder finger error at an online auction in August 2018.

6. Capped Die Error

A struck coin sticks to the die and rides along for subsequent strikes, eventually forming a curved cap shape. The results are dramatically distorted. Heritage Auctions sold a 2011-D penny graded MS65 with a capped die error for $1,095 in 2012. That’s one of the single most valuable 2011 penny errors on record.

7. Off-Center Strike

The planchet wasn’t centered in the collar, so part of the design is missing. Values depend on how far off: 5–15% off-center runs $20–$75, while a 50% off-center coin with the date still visible can hit $200 or more. That date visibility is key — collectors strongly prefer off-center errors where you can confirm the year.

8. Retained Cud Error

A chunk of die material breaks away but stays loosely attached, creating blob-like raised areas on finished coins. A 2011-D penny with a large cud covering portions of the Union Shield sold for $340 at auction in 2022. Even a decade after minting, dramatic die-failure errors still attract strong bids.

9. Strike-Through Error

A foreign object — fabric fiber, wire, paper, debris — gets trapped between the die and planchet during striking. The object leaves its impression embedded in the coin’s surface. A 2011 Philadelphia penny with a clear strike-through resembling cloth fibers achieved $225. Grease-filled die strike-throughs that obscure portions of Lincoln’s portrait or the shield design can add $50–$150 to a coin’s value.

10. Annealed Planchet Error

Before striking, blank planchets get heated (annealed) to soften the metal. Temperature fluctuations during this step can produce unusual colors — blackish, grayish, purplish, orange, even bright yellow instead of standard copper-red. In 2012, a collector paid $980 for a 2011-P Lincoln penny graded MS62 with an annealed planchet error showing an unusual off-color surface.

Also Read: 42 Rare Penny Errors List with Pictures (By Year)

 

Where to Sell Your 2011 Penny

Once you know what your 2011 Shield cents might be worth, you need the right buyer. I’ve reviewed the top online marketplaces and auction platforms where collectors actively hunt for modern Lincoln varieties, covering the pros and cons of each so you can get the best return.

Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)

 

2011 Penny Market Trend

*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.

 

FAQ About the 2011 Penny Value

1. What makes 2011 pennies valuable compared to other modern cents?

It’s the second year of the Shield design, and die refinements gave 2011 coins better strike quality than the debut 2010 run. High-grade MS68 examples have sold for $575–$667, while proof specimens can reach $390. Value comes down to preservation, mint location, color designation (RD is king), and special labels like Deep Cameo or designer signatures.

2. How can I tell if my 2011 penny is worth more than face value?

Look for bright, original copper-red color with no spots or cleaning marks. Check below the date for the mint mark — blank for Philadelphia, “D” for Denver, “S” for San Francisco proofs. Use a loupe and look for contact marks. Even minor imperfections separate an MS67 ($39–$55) from an MS68 ($575–$667). Any coin with visible doubling, unusual coloring, or off-center design could be an error worth researching.

3. Should I have my 2011 penny professionally graded?

Only if the coin looks MS67 or higher, is a confirmed error variety, or is a pristine proof. Grading fees run $20–$50 per coin. Submitting a common MS64 penny makes no financial sense. Good rule of thumb: if the potential value is at least 3–5 times the grading cost, consider it.

4. What is the most expensive 2011 penny ever sold?

The single highest recorded sale is $667 for a 2011-D Lincoln Shield Penny graded MS68 RD by PCGS, sold in 2017. Among error coins, a 2011-D capped die error graded MS65 sold for $1,095 at Heritage Auctions in 2012. A 2011-D with a die clash error graded MS64 sold at GreatCollections for $1,030.

5. Is there a 2011 silver penny?

No. All 2011 Lincoln cents used a zinc core with 2.5% copper plating — same composition since 1982. If yours looks silver, the copper plating wore through to the zinc, or someone altered it. Neither adds value.

6. What does the “RD,” “RB,” and “BN” designation mean for my 2011 penny?

These are color grades assigned by grading services. RD (Red) means 95%+ original copper-red surface — the most valuable. RB (Red-Brown) means 5–94% original red remaining. BN (Brown) means fully oxidized. For 2011 pennies at MS67 and MS68, the RD designation is essential for maximum value. A 2011-D MS67 BN is worth a fraction of the same coin in MS67 RD.

7. How many 2011 proof pennies were made, and where can I find one?

San Francisco struck 1,673,010 proof 2011-S Lincoln Shield cents, sold in the 2011 U.S. Mint Proof Set at an original issue price of $31.95. Individual coins broken out of sets are widely available on eBay, GreatCollections, and Heritage Auctions. Prices start around $6 for PR65 examples and climb to $390 for perfect PR70 DCAM specimens.

8. What doubled die varieties exist for 2011 pennies?

Multiple DDO and DDR varieties are documented in the CONECA reference. The strongest show doubling on “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” Lincoln’s ear, and eyelid on the obverse, and on “ONE CENT” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” on the reverse. Top examples fetch $100–$720, while minor varieties sell for $25–$50.

9. What is the 2011 penny’s connection to the end of the U.S. penny?

The 2011 penny belongs to the Lincoln Shield cent series, which ran from 2010 until November 12, 2025 — when the U.S. Mint stopped striking pennies for circulation because production costs hit approximately 3.7 cents per coin. That makes the entire 2010–2025 Shield run the final chapter of America’s longest-running coin design. Five pennies struck on the last day went to auction as numismatic keepsakes.

10. Can I find a valuable 2011 penny in pocket change today?

A gem MS67+ in circulation? Extremely unlikely — those were pulled from mint bags or rolls years ago. But off-center strikes, die cracks, feeder finger errors, and annealed planchet errors do survive in pocket change undetected. Grab a 10x loupe and good lighting. Pay attention to coins with doubled lettering, unusual coloring, or missing portions of the design.